


Chantaje

by princess_slash



Category: Narcos (TV)
Genre: Dancing, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Slow Burn, Strippers, cartel violence, pacho herrera/javier, steve/javier friendship, straight javier questioning himself, strip club
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-10-19 16:39:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17605022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princess_slash/pseuds/princess_slash
Summary: 1992.The search for Escobar rages on as Los Pepes gets involved. Javier Pena forms an alliance with Don Berna, doing whatever it takes to finally bring Escobar down. However, he forms another alliance that took him by surprise. An alliance that could be dangerous to his life, career with the DEA and everything he has worked for. It was always so difficult for him to say no to a pair of pretty brown eyes. These brown eyes just happened to belong to Cali Cartel godfather, Pacho Herrera.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm Brooklyn and I'm so disappointed that there's not more Narcos fanfic out there : ( I love the show so much. It is just such an interesting topic and it blows me away that it has been out this long and there are not more fics than what there are. I read all of the fics in a couple days. It was an obsession that kept me up for days. My favorite ship is Javier/Pacho.. just something about those two does it for me. However, I like Javier/Steve as a pairing too. English is my native tongue. I am a beginner in Spanish. I figured it wouldn't be a Narcos fic if there wasn't some Spanish in it. My translations of whatever Spanish I use will be at the end. It may or may not be correct, I am still learning. I was researching songs in the 90s that would be played in night clubs. Two songs stuck out and you should listen to them while reading!
> 
> Suavamente- Elvis Crespo  
> Bailamos-Enrique Iglesias
> 
> The title of this fic is based off a Shakira and Maluma song called Chantaje. It's really good as well.

Javier and Murphy sat at their desks, each lost in their own worlds. Murphy doodled on a piece of paper, looking like he’s a thousand miles away. Javier flipped through a stack of papers on his desk, wondering what Pablo’s next move will be. Consorting with Don Berna probably wasn't the best thing to do. But, what other choice did he have when the whole damn Colombian government and most of the police were corrupt? Why should they expect the DEA to play by the same rules that they had no intention of following? The way Javier looked at it, it was only fair that everyone played by the same rules. 

Everyone’s current focus was on bringing Escobar down. The drug trafficking hasn’t stopped just because Pablo’s people were murdered left and right. Other cartels were stepping into the distribution game. When one kingpin fell another appeared in its place. Even though it would do well to maintain focus on Escobar, Javi couldn’t help but feel that there was something else going on while their attention was diverted to the shit show that was Escobar’s manhunt. Was there anything else that mattered besides getting rid of Escobar? 

Javi felt the sudden need for human contact rush over him. The last time he had sex had been with one of his favorite talonadors. Only that activity started to lose its appeal. He wasn’t sure if it was the lack of personal intimacy or if he had grown bored using the same women. An obvious solution would be to go to a different brothel. That idea didn’t appeal to him. Maybe he should try going out and meeting people. If nothing else to see different scenery and clear his head. 

“Murphy, I’m headed out. Call me if anything happens,” said Javi, making up his mind. 

He grabbed his gun, sticking it in his waistband. 

“Sure thing,” grumbled Murphy, not looking up from his papers. 

Once Javi left the office and made it to the parking lot, he was at a loss for where to go. All the clubs around the base were too touristy and crowded. He preferred a simpler crowd. As he started his Jeep, he decided to head to Cali to see what he could get into there. Plus, it might be a good way to pick up some intel on the Cali cartel who seemed to be Escobar’s biggest competition. Only he was supposed to be going for pleasure and not business. He needed to take his cop face off and be regular Javier. Tonight was about finding a way to fill a void that stopped being filled. Maybe he would learn more about himself and what he wanted. Driving through the streets, he found a strip club that had a small crowd waiting in line for entrance. El paraíso was the name of it. What caught his attention was that most of the men waiting in line looked like influential people with expensive suits on. There also looked to be a couple possible cartel henchmen armed with guns. It was either an exclusive spot or something was about to go down. There was something that drew him to it and had him pulling off to park across the street from it. 

He flipped down the visor to glance at his reflection. Sweat matted down his bangs causing him to smooth them out of his face. Besides that he didn’t look too shabby in a white button down and tight pair of Levi’s. He made sure his badge was tucked away out of sight. At first, he considered not bringing his gun. If something did go down, he had to have a way to defend himself. So, he left it tucked in his waistband. He hopped out of the Jeep, shoving his keys in his pocket. 

Looking both ways, he crossed the street to the strip club. The linde dwindled a little bit with security passing most everyone through. When it was Javi’s turn, the guy gave him a suspicious look. 

“Por qué estás aquí?” questioned the man, looking him over. 

“Para las putas,” responded Javi, not missing a beat. 

The guy studied him for a second longer before waving his hand. “ Seguir adelante.”

Javi nodded, making his way into the club. Up tempo dance music playe through out the room. There was a bar at the far end of the room manned by a young man in a dress shirt. Most of the men were crowded around platforms that were dispersed around the room with poles attached. All the poles had beautiful girls dancing on them in short dresses. Some people were dancing on the dance floor while others sat in booths in conversation. 

Deciding he neede a drink, he headed to the bar. He slid into a seat, ordering a beer and a shot of tequila. Immediately, he downed the shot of tequila hoping it would calm his nerves. He hadn’t been to many clubs that had security. It had to be a higher end place to have those kinds of measures in place. The wheels were spinning in his head as he turned around with his beer in hand to face the dance floor. 

There were several pretty girls roaming around the floor having conversations with different men. He watched as one girl with dyed blonde hair draped herself over an older man that sat at one of the tables. She whispered in his ear, before jumping off his lap and rushing away. A few seconds later, she returned with a bottle of rum as he shoved cash in her hand. She set the bottle of rum down on the table before taking the cash to the bar where she was given a chip resembling something you would play poker with. This was something Javi hadn’t seen before. At the other strip clubs and brothels he was known to frequent, you picked the girl of your choice and retreated to a room with her. Once in the room, they usually expected payment up front which was the norm. There was never any interaction with anyone else during the exchange of services. The structure of this was ran more like a formalized business. 

Javi turned back around to face the bar tender. “What is the deal with the chips, man?” 

“If you want to spend the evening being entertained by one of the señoritas, you must buy liquor first. Once you have bought your bottle, then she is given a chip to turn in at the end of the night which is where she gets her commission,” explained the bartender. 

 

“This is a high class place then. I haven’t been to a club that was ran that way,” said Javi. 

“Oh yes, Mr. Herrera prides himself on running an upscale establishment. This is a legitimate business. Not like one of those back alley brothels,” commented the bartender with a chuckle. 

Herrera? Why did that name ring a bell? At least he knew what the chips were for. These were high class call girls and the owner expected money to be spent before allowing anyone to touch the merchandise. He sipped from his beer, nodding at the bartender. 

“I recommend Paola for your first time here. She has been nicknamed la torbellina,” said the bartender. 

The last thing Javi needed was a Latina whirlwind distracting him. He also did not bring enough cash for this kind of club. Not to mention, he was interested more in the business side of the club. The way the bartender insisted it was legitimate was sort of a red flag. He must have seemed like a cop to the bartender. Either that or the bartender talked too much to all the patrons. 

“Thanks, man. I think I’m going to sit back and enjoy the scenery,” said Javi, smiling at him before turning back around. 

Javi turned his eyes back to continue scoping out the room. There were a few Cartel looking men standing around a handsome man who sat in one of the booths with another man. He wore a blue silk shirt and dark slacks. The corners of his mouth turned up as he smiled at something the man beside him said. There was a confidence exuding from the man that Javi felt from across the room. Who was this man? 

It was difficult for Javi to look away. The man continued to converse with his associates and steal Javi’s attention. ‘This is crazy,’ thought Javi to himself. What was he doing ogling some man in a strip club when there were plenty of women around? He had no answer to that as he continued to stare at the handsome mystery man. One of the Cartel men bent down to say something to the man which prompted his eyes to land in Javi’s direction. 

Shit. He was caught staring and the Cartel man was headed his way. Were they going to throw him out? 

The Cartel man approached slowly, fixing Javi with a neutral look. He stopped in front of Javi before nodding at the bartender. 

“Mr. Herrera would like to request your prescence and offer you a cocktail,” said the man. 

That was not what Javi had been expecting to hear. He blinked in confusion, not sure how to react. Of course he had been staring at the fucking owner of all people. 

“Sure, I can do that,” replied Javi, setting his beer down on the bar. 

“Mix up two of Mr. Herrera’s premium cocktails and have them brought to the VIP area,” directed the Cartel man. 

The bartender nodded before setting himself to work. 

Javi followed the Cartel man across the room over to where the handsome owner waited for them. The other man that had been talking to the owner was gone. The owner rose from his seat in the booth, extending his hand to Javier. 

“Pacho Herrera, owner of this fine establishment,” introduced the owner, smiling at him. 

Being fixed with his stare made Javi’s heart pound. All of a sudden, he couldn’t remember how to act in social situations. The words finally stumbled out of his mouth. 

“Javier Peña, nice to meet you,” he said, shaking the outstretched hand. 

“Come sit,” invited Pacho, sliding back into his seat. 

Javi sat down beside him, trying to keep his cool. 

“First time here?” asked Pacho. 

“Yeah, actually it is. I was telling your bartender how nice it is,” answered Javi. 

“Excuse me, patrón. Here are your drinks,” interrupted the bartender, setting down two martini glasses on the table. 

“Gracias, Enrique,” said Pacho, picking up his glass.

Javi picked up his glass, taking a sip of the drink. It was a mix of sweet and spicy which exploded on his tastebuds. 

“This is very good,” complimented Javi. 

“I created that drink one night. It turned out better than expected. So what brought you out this way?” 

“Needed a change of scenery. I was driving around and saw the line to this place and wanted to see what all the fuss was about,” said Javi, enjoying his drink. 

Since when did he enjoy fruity drinks in a high rollers club? All he could do was go with the flow for now. He still could not place where he might have heard the name Herrera before. 

“Suavamenteeeee” blared through the speakers of the club. 

It was a siren to the dance floor as people flooded to the dance floor. Pacho set down his drink, standing up quickly. 

“Dance with me,” he offered his hand. 

Javi stared at him feeling like a deer in headlights. He never danced with a man before. It would be rude to refuse after Pacho fixed him a drink and invited him to VIP. He stood up, taking Pacho’s hand before he could change his mind. Pacho led him to the dance floor swiftly. The uptempo beats mixed with the trumpets had everyone swaying to the beat. Pacho clasped their hands together before placing his other hand on Javier’s waist. 

Pacho began the steps to a Salsa sort of dance, leading Javi around the floor. Javi was running on instinct,letting his movements follow Pacho’s. Pacho moved his hips easily to the rhythm, using the hand on Javi’s waist to move Javi’s hips in time. People moved out of their way on the floor. Javi couldn’t look anywhere, but Pacho’s deep brown eyes. It was as if he was under a spell. 

“You’re a decent dancer. No need to be so shy,”Pacho said into his ear. 

The sound of Pacho’s voice in his ear sent a tingle down his spine. 

Slow guitar music faded in as Suavamente ended. 

‘Esta noche bailamos,’ came through the speakers. 

The song was sensual, changing the way Pacho danced with him. He took his hand from Javi’s waist, running it over Javi’s cheek. Javi’s heart stopped at the intimate touch, not knowing how to react. Pacho placed his hand back on his waist, speeding up his movements. Before he knew it, Pacho stopped moving causing him to stop as well. Pacho gazed at him intensely before dropping a kiss on Javi’s cheek.

“Thank you for the dance, Javier,” said Pacho, his hand still on Javi’s waist. 

“No problem, I hope I didn’t embarrass you,” replied Javi, still spellbound. 

“You were great. I do wonder why you’re packing though,” commented Pacho, nudging at the gun tucked into his waist band. 

“I’m in an area that I’m not familiar with. With all the violence, it seemed like the right thing to do,” answered Javier, hoping it would satisfy the handsome owner. 

“Of course. Let’s go back and finish our drinks,” suggested Pacho. 

Javi let him lead the way, breathing a sigh of relief. There was still something about this club that gave him an off feeling. Even though he was enjoying himself, he felt he needed to get to the bottom of it. 

“So, what made you want to get into this type of business?” asked Javier. 

“I own a few different businesses. An associate of mine said it could be profitable to own this type of club that caters to entertainment and other needs. However, I didn’t want it to come off as a seedy type of place. We have a system for the girls that protects them and my profits. A man can get whatever he needs as long as he plays by the rules,” answered Pacho. 

“Make sense,” conceded Javier, taking in what Pacho said. 

“It also doesn’t hurt that the host is so gracious and easy on the eyes.”

Damn, had that really come out of Javi’s mouth? He felt his face flush at his flirty words. What the hell was going on with him tonight? 

“Yes, it does seem to help. I have to confess that the merchandise I have on display is not what I’m interested in,” said Pacho, smiling at him. 

The meaning of his words hit Javier head on. Pacho was gay and running a straight strip club. The man was an enigma that fucked with his head. It also had him questioning his sexuality a little bit. 

One of Pacho’s security guys was in front of them all of a sudden. “My apologies, patrón. There is some kind of issue and you’ve been called to a meeting.” 

Pacho nodded before saying, “Get the Mercedes ready and I’ll be right there.” 

The man nodded before leaving them alone.  
“Everything ok?” asked Javi. 

“That’s the downside of owning so many businesses. Issues are bound to come up. I hope I see you here again,” answered Pacho. 

He raised a hand to caress Javi’s cheek before pressing a short kiss to his lips. Javi was shocked, unsure how to react. It was the first time a man had ever kissed him. He may have experimeted briefly with a guy or two in his younger years. But, he didn’t think it was thing at the time. 

“Me too,” whispered Javi. 

“Stay here and enjoy the VIP area. Enrique will make sure you’re taken care of,” suggested Pacho. 

He stood up straightening his silk shirt before nodding in Javi’s direction. Javi couldn’t tear his eyes away from Pacho’s retreating form. 

Translations-

Talonadors- whores  
El paraíso- The Paradise  
“Por qué estás aquí?”- Why are you here?  
“Para las putas,”- The whores  
“ Seguir adelante.”- go ahead  
la torbellina- the whirlwind  
Patrón- boss  
Gracias- thank you


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picking up where we left off at the club..

Javier did exactly as Pacho suggested and stayed to enjoy the VIP area. He requested another one of Pacho’s premium cocktails. Since Pacho left the club, there were only a few men left for security. If Pacho was just a businessman than why did he need all that security around him? There were still things about him that didn’t make sense. He also didn’t figure out what Enrique meant by the club being legit. He sipped the cocktail as he pondered all the questions circling through his mind. A beeping sound threw him off as he forgot his cell phone was in his pocket. He fished it out of his pocket, hitting the button to answer.

“Hello?”

“Are you balls deep in a puta right now?” questioned Steve right off the bat. 

Javi rolled his eyes. “No actually I’m not. I found this club in Cali and it’s super nice. It’s not like any of the places I’ve been. There’s security and a certain way to be with the putas. There’s just something off about it.”

“Ah, so you’re at one of those fancy places. No wonder you’re not with a girl.. Probably don’t have enough money.”

“Exactly. I met the owner and he makes a great cocktail. I am sitting in VIP sipping on one. Hey, does the name Herrera ring a bell?” asked Javi. 

“I don’t know man. I think I may remember the name Herrera coming up when we were listening to some phone calls between like Pablo and the Cali cartel. Sounds like you’re living it up. I would be taking full advantage of the liquor,” answered Steve. 

“Of course. Well, maybe I can find out more. I haven’t seen La Quica or anyone else of note. This is definitely not their type of place,” said Javi. 

“You should probably just enjoy your time. We think about work 90 percent of the time. So, take a break for the night. I just wanted to call and check in. Happy I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“You didn’t interrupt anything, yet,” said Javi in a cheeky tone. 

“Haha, I’m sure. I have my wife waiting for me. Adios,” said Steve. 

“Talk later, bye,” said Javi, hanging up his cell phone. 

He slid his phone back into his pocket before finishing his cocktail. The conversation with Steve comforted him some, but he was still curious. Was it possible there was an office somewhere around that he could look through to get some information? It was late and the owner was gone so it was a good possibility he wouldn’t get caught. He was used to snooping through papers at a quick pace. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to do a little looking around? 

Standing up, he glanced around the room to see where an office might be located. He could always feign searching for the bathroom if he ran into anyone. There was a hallway across the room that looked like a possible location. He made his way through the crowd on the dance floor. A beautiful woman attempted to pull him in for a dance, throwing her body on his. He patted her hip, whispering a promise of later in her ear. Everyone was deep into their party allowing him to blend in. 

Striding down the hallway, he tried the first door he came to. It was the women’s restroom and was occupied by a woman snorting a line of coke. He shook his head, shutting the door. The door directly across from it was the men’s restroom. At the end of the hallway, there was a door marked with a sign that read ‘restringido’. He looked behind him making sure no one was looking his direction. 

Once he was sure the coast was clear, he walked up to the door. He pressed his ear to it to make sure no one was inside. Hearing silence, he tried the door knob. It was locked of course. Kicking in the door would bring too much suspicion. An idea entered his mind as he pulled out his wallet. He grabbed a credit card and slid it between the door and the lock. With a little bit of prying, the door popped open. He shoved the card in his pocket before entering the room. There were two file cabinets side by side with a desk in the middle of the room. Deciding to start with the file cabinets, he pulled open one and started going through the files. Employee files, documents for the club and receipts were the only things he found. Nothing of interest in the first cabinet. Turning to the second cabinet, he started sifting through its files. More paperwork. 

Not to mention, he wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for. He started tapping on the sides of the cabinet to see if there was a hidden compartment inside the cabinet. To his surprise, one of the spots sounded hollow. He opened the drawer and felt around for the hidden opening. His fingers nervously pried it open. There was a notebook hidden inside it. He quickly pulled it out of the compartment, opening it to the first page. 

The notebook appeared to be a log of sorts with all different series of numbers. Pages of figures and dollar amounts comprised the notebook. Was this the money being made at the club? Javi shook his head, not able to make sense of what he was seeing. The back cover of the book listed a phone number. He looked around for a pen, finding one on the desk. Pulling an old receipt out of his wallet, he scribbled the phone number down. He threw the pen back on the desk before shoving the notebook back in the hidden compartment. 

It was time to go before he got caught. He glanced around the office to ensure things were in order. Satisfied, he snuck out of the office and shut the door behind him. Grabbing the knob, he tested it to see if it locked. The door stayed in its place. Running a hand through his hair, he started walking back down the hallway. Before he rounded the corner, an arm smashed him against the wall. 

Fuck. His heart sped up as he looked into the eyes of his captor. Pacho’s brown eyes looked back at him as his arm stayed around Javi’s throat. 

“Que estabas haciendo alli?” questioned Pacho. 

“Usando el baño,” answered Javi, feeling his air being cut off. 

“Claro, amor,” said Pacho, loosening his grip on Javier’s throat. He ran his hand over Javi’s cheek, softly. 

“Estas bien?” asked Javier, trying not to flinch away from Pacho’s touch. 

“Yes, I am just being paranoid. There was a little mix up with my business. It has been rectified. Come sit with me,” said Pacho, grabbing his hand. 

Relieved his cover hadn’t been blown, he followed Pacho back to the VIP area. It was almost too close. He had to get away from the handsome owner before he lost all sense of judgment.  
Pacho set down beside him in the booth, waving his hand for a drink. Enrique brought over a tray with various drinks laden on it. Javi reached for a bottle of water, wanting to sober up. 

“Have you been enjoying the club since I was gone?” asked Pacho, making himself a drink. 

“It’s been great. I had another one of those premium cocktails. It will be hard to go back to beer after drinking those,” answered Javier. 

“What do you for work? I would guess construction, but your clothes aren’t dirty enough,” said Pacho. 

Shit. He knew he would eventually be asked this question. “I work at the US Embassy. My job is basically to float wherever they need me.”

“A gringo? Where are you from?” questioned Pacho teasingly. 

“Tejas. I got sent here for a work assignment,” replied Javier. 

“I like Tejas. It’s like it’s own country in the States. Let’s cut the crap, Javi. You don’t just do some bullshit at the Embassy. And it’s obvious you’re familiar with that weapon. What do you really do?” asked Pacho, setting his glass down and fixing Javi with an intense stare. 

Fuck. What was he going to do? He still had no idea what or who he was exactly dealing with. 

Translations- 

Restringido- restricted  
Puta-whore  
Que estabas haciendo alli- what are you doing back here  
Usando el bano- i was using the bathroom  
Claro,amor- of course, honey (or love)  
Estas bien- Are you ok?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to heat up now..


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-

Pacho’s gaze burned a hole through Javier as he sat there contemplating what to say. If he lied, Pacho looked like a resourceful guy that could verify his story. Telling the truth was probably the best option. But, that didn’t mean he had to pour his guts out to Pacho. 

“I’m not here for work. Work was what I was trying to avoid when I came here tonight,” started Javier. 

“Ok, then there shouldn’t be a problem with you telling me what you do,” pressed Pacho.   
Javier leaned in, lowering his voice, “I was sent here to work on a case. I’m DEA.” 

Pacho’s face fell before a smile graced his features. “Is that so? You’re probably working on Escobar’s case.” 

Damn this guy was smart. Javier didn’t even have to say anything before he figured it out. “Everyone wants him out, including my bosses in the States.” 

“You can say that again. It’s in everyone’s best interest that he fall. I appreciate the honesty, Javier. It didn’t cross my mind I was consorting with a cop. But, I don’t have anything to hide,” explained Pacho. 

The glint in Pacho’s dark eyes caused Javier to question if, the gorgeous owner was hiding something. 

“Pacho, I appreciate your hospitality. This will definitely be a spot I come back to. I have work in the morning. Gracias por todo.”

“De nada. Estoy seguro de que nos volveremos a ver guapo,” replied Pacho, leaning in to kiss his cheek. 

A red flush fell over his cheek at the touch of Pacho’s lips. The man was smooth, no doubt about it. And he called him handsome. Why did this man make him feel like such a teenager? 

“Buenas noches,” said Javier, nodding his head at Pacho before sliding out of the booth. 

The whole walk from the VIP area to the exit, he felt Pacho’s eyes on his back. He enjoyed his night out, but it left him with more questions. 

* * *

The next morning, Javier woke up with a slight hangover. He chugged some water along with a couple of pain relievers. His sleep was filled with questions swirling in his head. Pacho reacted in a way to him being DEA that gave him the impression the owner could be involved with narcos. Some part of Javier expected Pacho to react badly to him being a cop. There was no explanation for why he felt that way. It was possible Pacho was a normal business owner with nothing else going on. 

His thoughts turned to the folded up piece of paper on his nightstand. The phone number he found in the club’s office would give him a clue as to what was happening. He got up from his bed, heading to the shower. The water pounded his back muscles erasing some of the tension. He was a DEA agent for God’s sake. What was so fucking hard about the situation? The way Pacho looked at him, danced with him, kissed him and everything else about him turned Javier inside out. He had to get a grip before he ruined himself. So, Pacho was handsome? It wasn’t like he had never seen a handsome man before. 

Finishing up in the shower, he continued getting ready for work. Once he was dressed in his usual jeans and button down, he grabbed his aviators. He decided to grab breakfast on the way to work. Coffee and a breakfast taco sounded appealing. He needed a jolt of caffeine to motivate him. Not only that, but the piece of paper was burning a hole in his pocket. What would he find when he called the number? 

He munched on his taco while walking into the building. A wad of paper hurtled toward him, hitting his stomach. Perplexed, he looked around only to see Steve glaring at him. 

“Asshole. No taco for me?” questioned Steve. 

“Doesn’t your wife cook you breakfast?” said Javi, setting his breakfast on the desk. 

“Yeah, but it’s not authentic breakfast tacos,” pouted Steve. 

“Here, I bought two. Cry baby,” said Javi, sliding one of the tacos onto Steve’s desk. 

Steve grinned at him before tearing into his taco. It didn’t take much to keep him happy. 

“So, did you have fun last night?” asked Steve, in between bites. 

“Well, I said I wasn’t going to make it about work. And this may not apply to anything. I snooped through the office while the owner was out and found a notebook hidden in a hidden compartment in the cabinet,” started Javier, pausing to sip his coffee. ‘

“You can’t leave anything alone, can you Javi?” said Steve. 

“Call it a hunch, but something told me to dig deeper. This notebook contained nothing but numbers and figures. I thought how is it that the club made that much money? But, it is an expensive place. There was a phone number listed in the back of the book. Maybe that will shed some light on it,” explained Javier, pulling the piece of paper out of his pocket. 

“It could have been some kind of code. If someone went through the trouble of hiding it, then they must not want anyone knowing the information that’s in it. You could hand that over to one of our guys to look into,” suggested Steve. 

“I don’t really think it has anything to do with Escobar. No point in dragging them into it. I’d rather keep it to myself. Only thing I can do is call the number and see who answers,” mused Javier. 

He picked up the phone on his desk, dialing the number. It rang twice before someone answered. 

“Figueroa and Gurrero, Aseorias Contables. Como puedo dirigir tu llamada?” asked a female voice on the line. 

“No, numero equivocado lo siento,” replied Javier before hanging up. 

Steve sat perched at the edge of his seat, looking at Javier curiously. “So, who was it?” 

“It was an accounting firm. I’m not sure what I expected to find when I called that number,” said Javier, feeling disappointed. 

“Well, you said there were numbers written down in the book. It’s probably just the amount that has been spent. Or maybe someone was skimming off the top of the profits,” said Steve. 

“What if the money is being cleaned through the club?” questioned Javier.

“Oh, like if it’s a front for the narcos? I don’t know man, doesn’t sound like it to me. Did you see anyone doing drugs?” 

“There was one girl doing it in the bathroom. But, it wasn’t like out in the open. If there were people doing them, they were doing it in a discrete way,” said Javier. 

“I don’t know, man. Unless there’s a link to the narcos, even if dude is laundering some money through there it is not really our problem. How was the other merchandise?” questioned Steve, raising his eyebrows. 

“I never did sample any. Beautiful to look at, no doubt. I was so caught up in trying to find something wrong there. Maybe, I am just paranoid,” said Javier. 

“This whole thing with Escobar has everyone on edge. It may be causing you to see bad where there’s not any,” said Steve, patting him on the shoulder. 

“Sometimes you make a lot of sense, Murphy. I bet that’s what it is. For now, I’m going to forget about it unless something else comes up with it,” agreed Javier. 

Both the agents got back down to their work which was slow going. 

* * *

Steve’s head was nodding as he started to fall asleep at his desk. Javier’s phone rang, jerking him out of a stupor.   
“Hello,” he answered.

“La Quica is at the brothel,” said a female voice. 

Javier wrote down an address and called for a few men to go raid the brothel that La Quica was supposedly at. 

“Murphy, get your ass up!” yelled Javier. 

“What’s going on?” he asked. 

“Just got a tip that La Quica is at a brothel. Already called for backup, lets go,” said Javier, grabbing his gun. 

“Roger that. Finally some action,” said Steve jumping up from his desk. 

Javier and Steve rushed down to the parking lot jumping in his jeep. Both agents were armed with radios and their vests as Javier sped through the streets of Medellin. The men were quiet as they snuck over to the building housing the brothel.The adrenaline pounded in Javier’s veins. It wasn’t long before one of the men tipped Quica off. Steve took off out of the brothel, chasing after Quica. Javier wondered if there was any point in chasing after Quica. 

“Senor, I need to talk to you,” whispered a voice, pulling him into one of the rooms. 

Javier felt himself stumble backwards as he turned to face his captor. A woman with dark hair cut into a bob around her face looked up at him with dark eyes. 

“I do not want to be outed. I am here as a spy,” she whispered. 

“For who?” asked Javier, confused as to what this woman was doing. 

“Pacho Herrera,” she answered. 

The air left his lungs as he tried to process the meaning of what she was saying. Why did Pacho have a woman spying in one of the brothels La Quica was known to frequent? Was it to research his strip club business or something else?

“What’s your name?” asked Javier, trying to buy some time. 

“Ximena. Please, will you help me get out of here? I need to get back to my boss,” she begged. 

She was clad in a light blue, backless dress that skimmed just below her ass. A silver clutch was in her hand which was curled protectively around it.   
“I’m going to need you to act like I’m any other client ok. That is the only way we can get out of here without drawing too much attention. First, what’s in the bag?” he questioned. 

“Pacho gave me a small pistol to defend myself in my work here,” she answered. 

“Keep it hidden. Alright, lets go,” he said. 

Javier slid an arm around her waist as they walked out of the room together. Policemen still roamed around the brothel searching for any sign of Quica. He didn’t say anything as he led her out of the brothel and to his Jeep. Steve wasn’t anywhere to be found, so he decided to call him. He opened the Jeep door for her, helping her inside. He jumped in the other side, pulling out his phone. 

“Murphy, where are you?” he asked, as soon as Steve answered the phone. 

“Looking for this bastard Quica. Where are you?” said Steve back breathlessly indicating he had been running. 

“I ran across this beautiful mamacita and she gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse. We lost Quica so may as well do something to get the stress out,” replied Javier. 

“Only you would find a whore at the most inopportune moment. You’re right though. He was tipped off pretty quick. We lost him for now,” said Steve. 

“We’ll keep trying. I have to go, but I will see you tomorrow,”said Javier, hanging up. 

The only place he could think to drive to was his apartment. Riding around in broad daylight with a woman who looked the part of a whore could draw unwanted attention to him. He usually didn’t take his women back to his apartment. But, this particular one wasn’t a real whore anyway. 

“I actually met Pacho over the weekend, so I can try to help you. I’m just not sure how you knew to even ask me,” he said, turning to glance at her. 

“Something about you told me I could trust you,” she said. 

Javier always did have a soft spot for those kinds of women. It would make sense that they could pick up on it. 

“How did you even get into this type of work?” he questioned. 

“I’m not a prostitute. I am used to working undercover and one of my cousins works for Pacho and recommended me for a job,” she answered.   
“I’m going to take you to my apartment and we will hang out there while I try to get a hold of Pacho,” Javier explained. 

He really didn’t want to know what Pacho had going on with this girl. So far, ignorance was bliss in this situation. The whole situation with Pacho was already weirding him out. If he was in his normal state of mind, he would be hitting on the beautiful woman sitting beside him. But, she seemed afraid and the adrenaline was still pumping through him. 

As he pulled into his apartment complex, he thought about how to contact Pacho. They hadn’t exactly exchanged numbers that night. But, he could call the club and ask for Pacho. He gestured to his couch for Xiemna to sit down. Pulling out his cell phone, he called one of the secretaries at the embassy to look up the club’s phone number. Once he had it, he dialed the number. 

A female voice came through the phone line with a standard greeting. 

“Is Mr. Herrera in?” asked Javier. 

“I am sorry sir, but he is occupied at the moment,”said the voice. 

“Tell him, Agent Javier Pena is on the phone and I have an urgent matter to speak with him about,” pushed Javier. 

“Hold please,” instructed the lady. 

A couple minutes later, Pacho’s voice came through the line. “Agent Pena, what do I owe the pleasure of this call?” 

“I apologize for the inconvenience. I was out on a raid for work and ran into your secret spy, Ximena. She asked me to take her out of the brothel. I have her at my apartment,” explained Javier. 

“Has she been harmed in any way?” questioned Pacho, his voice turning cold. 

“No, she is ok,” responded Javier. 

“She has been working a very important job for me. I will have to place her at a different location now. Keep her calm for now. Both of you come to my club tonight and I’ll have one of my guys take her to my ranch,” said Pacho. 

“Ok, no problem,” said Javier, not liking the way Pacho just gave out orders. 

“Thank you for finding her. It would have been very bad if the wrong people had gotten a hold of her,” said Pacho, ending the call. 

Javier set his phone on the table, trying to work out what everything meant. 

“What did he say?” asked Ximena, leaning forward in her seat. 

“He said to bring you to his club in Cali tonight. Sounds like you will be placed somewhere else for your job. He told me to keep you calm until then. Do you want something to drink?” asked Javier. 

“Ok and water would be nice,” she said, smiling at him. 

Javier left her in the living room while he went to the kitchen to fetch her a bottle of water. Who was Pacho that he felt everyone should just bend to his orders? Or maybe the guy was just cocky. For someone used to being the boss that was probably normal. It bothered Javi because he was used to being in charge and now someone else was taking that role. He shook his thoughts away, heading back to the living room with a bottle of water. 

“Thank you,” she said, accepting the bottle. 

He grabbed the TV remote, sinking down on the couch beside her. “Guess we can kill some time until we go to the club.” 

* * * 

Ximena was in his bathroom showering and freshening up before they went to the club. Apparently, everyone strived to impress Pacho. Javier thought it might do him well to follow her example and dress up a bit. Maybe it would help him solve the mystery of Pacho Herrera. Going to his closet, he pulled out a pink button down. He wore it a few times usually when it was a dressy occasion. This occasion called for it. He slipped it on, opting not to change his jeans or shoes. 

While he was at it, he dabbed on some cologne and combed his hair. It was his best version of effortless dressing up. Hearing the water turn off signaled Ximena must be done with her shower. He went back to the living room in case she needed privacy. Who knew the raid at the brothel was causing him to go back to Pacho’s club? He couldn’t lie to himself that he was glad for the excuse to run into Pacho again. 

“Javier,” called Ximena’s voice from the bathroom. 

He rose from the couch, going over to the bathroom. “Yeah?” he asked. 

“Do you think we can go ahead and leave? I am feeling anxious about being here. Not sure if my cover was blown, but you never know,” she said, looking up at him worriedly. 

Since when had Javier ever said no to a pretty girl? “Yeah, I mean I don’t see why he would have a problem with us showing up early.” 

“Muchas gracias,” she said, her eyes shining. 

“Look, I’m a cop and as much as I like Pacho something seems off there. You need to be careful with whatever you are doing,” he advised. 

“I’m no rookie to this. If I were, Pacho would not have chose me for the job I am in,” she said, pulling her pistol out of her bag. 

She clicked the safety off, pointing it at Javi. 

“Whoa, wait a minute now. I wasn’t saying that to be insulting. Most of the women I meet in those kinds of places aren’t putting themselves at risk the way you are,” he explained, holding his hands up. 

“I do not need anyone interfering in my job, especially not a cop. Pacho looks out for me well,” she said, putting her pistol away. 

Any doubts that Ximena couldn’t handle herself faded away. 

“Ok, super spy. Let’s get you back to your patron,” he suggested. 

Javier shoved his phone in his pocket as well as his weapon in his jeans. It didn’t matter how comfortable he felt, he would never travel anywhere without his weapon. He grabbed his keys, leading Ximena out of his apartment. She surprisingly didn’t fight the hand he placed on her back. It was for her own good as he didn’t want someone to snatch her. Crazier things had happened in Colombia. 

* * *

Javier parked his jeep outside of the club. He jumped out of his side, going over to open Ximena’s door for her. Ximena took his hand, stepping down onto the pavement. Javier offered her his arm, guiding her into the club. The bouncer waved them on through the entrance, not even questioning anything. Pacho must have informed his security prior to their arrival. The music thrummed through the club as Javier continued onto the VIP section. His eyes traveled across the room meeting a pair of eyes that set his heart into overdrive. Pacho’s eyes followed Javier until he and Ximena were in front of him. 

Ximena tore her arm out of Javier’s grasp, surprising him. “Stop leading me around! I can walk myself in here perfectly fine,” she hissed, glaring at Javier. 

Pacho stood up from the booth coming to stand in front of Ximena. Before Javier could respond, Pacho’s hand slapped Ximena’s cheek. 

“How rude of you, Ximenita. This man took you out of there and brought you to me safely. He was following my orders to get you here. Think again before being so disrespectful,” said Pacho. 

Ximena rubbed her cheek before saying, “Si, patron. I’m sorry, Javier. The raid shook me up and I was worried my cover would be blown.” 

Pacho rubbed a finger over her cheek gently, the storm in his eyes settling. “I know. You’re going to rest at my ranch and hopefully be back to work.” 

Ximena nodded, smiling at him. 

Pacho snapped his fingers and a couple men came and took Ximena. 

“Not trying to be rude, but why did you slap her?” asked Javier who was confused. 

“In my business, no weakness can be shown or it will be exploited. She was out of line with how she spoke to you. You did not have to rescue her. Just as well, you could have turned her into the authorities or much worse. Ximenita is a tough girl. She has had worse than a slap in her time. She needed to be reminded not to speak out of turn especially in front of me,” explained Pacho. 

“I hate to see what happens to the person who cusses you out,” said Javier. 

Pacho smiled, trailing a finger down Javier’s chest. “Hopefully you won’t have to find out. Let’s have a drink.” 

Javier followed Pacho into the booth his nerves starting up again. 

“Thank you for bringing her to me,” said Pacho, pouring shots of tequila for them. 

“No problem, she doesn’t take well to men trying to look out for her does she?” asked Javier. 

“She has a bad past. Her brother used to work for me. He was always her protector. After he was murdered, she refuses to let a man get close. I have known her for a long time. I am kind of in that role now and it isn’t easy for her. But, she needs someone looking out for her in this world,” answered Pacho. 

Something about Pacho’s explanation made Javier suspicious. What exactly was her brother doing that got him killed? His answer seemed very careful not to reveal too many details. Pressing Pacho would probably destroy any trust they built up so far. It wasn’t as if he was interested in Ximena. He did his job by returning her to where she belonged. It would be in his best interest to let it drop. 

“That’s good of you to do that,” commented Javier. 

“It’s one of the good things I’ve done. Why don’t you tell me about this raid that complicated my situation?” asked Pacho, studying Javier with his eyes. 

“Well, it’s common knowledge that every cop here is on the hunt for Pablo Escobar. A tip had been called in that one of his men was at the brothel. He was in fact there, but he was tipped off pretty quickly. Needless to say it was a bust on that front. At least Ximena made it out,” explained Javier. 

“I’m grateful to you for that. You have a favor with me if you happen to need it,” said Pacho, smiling at him. 

What kind of favor could Pacho possibly do for him? Sexual images raced through Javier’s mind as he stared at the attractive man. Something deep inside him told him it was better to be allies with Pacho than enemies. It was better to stay on the side of Pacho that doled out favors. A ringing sounded, breaking him out of his thoughts. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. 

“Hello?” 

“You still banging the Colombiana?” questioned Steve. 

“Don’t you have something you need to be doing?” countered Javier.

“I’ve been thinking. Maybe we would have caught Quica if you hadn’t been so interested in the whores.”

Confusion settled into Javier’s mind as he processed what Steve said. “Wait, are you blaming me?” 

“It’s funny how Quica got away and then you slide out with one of them. If you weren’t so obsessed with playing with whores all the time then maybe you would be better at your job,” accused Steve. 

Anger flared up in his chest as he wondered if Steve was drunk. He never spoke to Javier in that way. “Quica got away because he had look outs. As soon as one of them saw us come in, it was over. They made sure he got away. Don’t make this about me.”   
“All convenient excuses-” started Steve.

Pacho’s hand reached over, snatching the phone out of Javier’s grip. “Look at yourself before blaming someone else. He is definitely not with the Colombiana. Have some respect.” 

Javier’s mouth dropped open as he listened to Pacho tell off Steve. He couldn’t remember the last time someone defended him. It was usually the other way around with him doing the defending. Pacho brought out a more vulnerable side of him that he didn’t recognize. 

Pacho handed the phone back. “I am on a roll tonight about disrespect. I wasn’t trying to get into your business. As long as I am around, Javi, no one will disrespect you.” 

Translations-  
Gracias por todo- Thanks for everything.   
De nada. Estoy seguro de que nos volveremos a ver guapo- You’re welcome. I am sure we will see each other again, handsome.  
Buenas noches- good night.   
Muchas gracias- thank you very much  
No, numero equivocado lo siento- no wrong number, i am sorry.   
Como puedo dirigir tu llamada- how can i direct your call?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got away from me! I didn't realize how long it was until I went back to the beginning of it. If any of you want something to watch that still is about narcos and that whole world, go on Netflix and pull up El Senor De Los Cielos! You can put English subtitles on. It is so dramatic and follows the story of Aurelio Casillas who is nicknamed Lord of the Skies and his rise to power after Pablo Escobar is killed. This series is produced by Telemundo and is currently filiming. There are 7 seasons with 6 of them being available on Netflix. I highly recommend it. 
> 
> And thanks for reading :)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope it was good and dying to see what other people think of it! Thanks.


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